A community-reinforcement approach to the treatment of alcoholics has been developed. This approach extends laboratory-derived principles and non-alcoholism applications to the problem of alcoholism. Specifically, vocational, family, and social reinforcers are arranged such that the alcoholics' new behavior patterns are incompatible with drinking. The comparison of this procedure with existing hospital procedures has used a matched-pairs design. Outcome measures have been percentage of time spent 1) sober, 2) employed, 3) with family, 4) non- institutionalized. The success of this program has produced 1) a new method for treating alcoholics, 2) a new conceptual framework for formulating alcoholism. Refinement of the procedures will continue during the remainder of the grant period.